Following Football All Around The Globe

Along with twelve other teams, the Brazilian National Team was privileged to participate in the very first World Cup tournament held in 1930. They are also the only team to appear in every World Cup since its initiation and have won it more than any other team. Their five victories came in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002. During their long history with the Tournament, the Brazilians have accrued a few unusual firsts and experiences. One player in particular, Leonidas De Silva, had some remarkable moments in the early years of Cup play. Here are just a few:

In 1938, during a Finals match against Team Poland, one of the Brazilian team members doffed his shoes because he preferred playing barefoot. Leonidas (the player in question) was ordered by officials to put his shoes back on. After doing so, he went on to score four goals in that match and was the top scoring player of that year’s Cup, scoring eight goals in four matches.
That’s the sort of thing that makes one wonder how many goals he might have scored if he’d been allowed to play with bare feet. (Side Note: It was widely reported during the ’38 Cup that Leonidas had a side job as a professional private eye!)

In the 1938 World Cup, the coach made a mistake and left Leonidas off the roster for a semi-final match against Italy. The team lost that match. Then, a couple of days later, in the third place match-up, it was Leonidas who helped Brazil win by scoring two goals for a four-to-two win over Team Sweden.

Brazil football team had more hanging on the outcome of this year’s FIFA World Cup in South Africa than most. After all, a victory would complete a tidy hat trick of trophies for Selecao. After all, they’ve won a cup on every other continent on which they’ve played. Winning in South Africa should be no problem, right? Of course, there are a few other pretty good teams to be beaten, but Brazil knows it has to win. They are not strangers to winning at the Cup, but still Brazil faces the somewhat daunting prospect of being “required to win” by their devoted fans who seem to have decided that winning the Cup is their due.

In 1970, the Pele stole the show and helped the Brazilian team took home the actual Jules Rimet Trophy. Sadly, the trophy was later stolen and most believe it was melted down and sold. They last won a Cup in 2002 when they labored to reach the tournament that was hosted in South Korea and Japan. This year, however, Dunga and the Brazilian squad cruised into Johannesburg top of their group.

Still, the squad is feeling the pressure to bring home the Cup and please the throngs of fans that are nearly rabid about regaining the World Cup Title. The players, however, are trying to keep some perspective. Just after they beat archrival Argentina to secure their qualification, Kaka (a key player on the Brazilian squad) noted that it was imperative that his team “learn to live without the favorite’s tag”. Adding that “We mustn’t let it turn into something negative as… in previous years”.

While some might envy Brazil’s fan support, the pressure to win can be intimidating even or experienced players. Drawing a spot in Group G for this year’s tournament, a group given the nickname the “Group of Death”, won’t be making the stress any easier to deal with. Still, the surest way for Brazil to turn this tournament into a positive for the team and for its fans, is to win and keep winning all the way to the finals.

The national football team of Brazil is considered to be the best team ever in the football history for many times winning the FIFA World Cup. They say about football that “the English invented it, but the Brazilians perfected it”. No wonder this is true. Brazil is still the number one team in the FIFA rankings. Let’s have a quick glance into what Brazil has been up to in FIFA world cup events:

• Nickname: Canarinho or the Samba Kings

• Football association: Brazilian Football Confederation• Head coach: The legendary Dunga is leading the top Brazilian team

• Captain: Lucio will be heading its team at the FIFA World Cup 2010

• Top scorer: Pelé with his 77 goals is the top scorer for Brazil till now

• Home kit color: Yellow shirts with blue shorts

• Away kit color: Blue shirts with white shots

• Playing world cup since: 1930

• Won FIFA World Cup: Brazil won the FIFA World Cup five times, in the years of 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002

• Total matches played in World Cup: Brazil has played 92 matches till now in FIFA World Cup

• Total games won: Brazil won 64 games in total at the FIFA World Cup

• Games drawn: Brazil had only 14 drawn games at the FIFA World Cup

• Games lost: Brazil lost only 14 times at this event.

• Goals scored: The total number of goals scored by the Brazilian team at this event is 201.

Brazil in FIFA World Cup 2010

Brazil is going to be the leading team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. They are part of group G, known as the Death Group. Brazil will face Portugal, Cote d’lvoire and the Democratic Republic of Korea in the group stage.

The Brazilians are the most successful international football team in the world. This claim is backed up by the fact that they have won the FIFA World Cup a record five times (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002), the Copa America, eight times and the Confederations Cup, three times. They are also the only international team that have play in all 18 of the World Cups that have been held. They have also qualified for the 2010 World Cup that is being held in South Africa and, as hosts, they automatically qualify for the 2014 World Cup.

As with every World Cup, watch out for Brazil. As is commonly said about Brazil … “The English invented it, the Brazilian perfected it.”

On Paper, Brazil is one of the strongest team in current world cup run and has won maximum number of world cups but team has struggled to live to the expectations in the big tourneys including 2006 world cup where they lost their campaign to France in quarter final. But, Brazil has gained the success no other team has ever gained in terms of qualifying the tournaments, scoring the goals and winning the big tournaments. This South American giant has always produced the best football players in the world. In 2002, they were not tagged as favorite but the team of Louis Felipe Scolari went on to win their fifth world cup title. But, in 2006, they did not played to their expectations as they lost in quarter finals.

In 2010 campaign, they might not come as favorites of the tournament but just like 2002, they can produce the result to lift the world cup. The team is guided by Carlos Dunga who himself captained the side to won 1994 world cup. The team is full of star players like Rivaldo and once best player Kaka. The team is placed in Group “G” where they might face the toughest challenge from Portugal. The other two opponents in the group are Ivory Coast and North Korea. In 2014, Brazil made it to the knock out round, but faced a humiliating defeat of 7-1 at the hand of the German football team.

Born in Brazil, Kaka has earned worldwide notoriety and acclaim as a first-class midfielder for Spain’s Real Madrid team, as well as on his own native, Brazilian National team. Always a favorite with fans and his managers, Kaka has literally been playing football since he was a kid (just 8 years old) and signed his first Pro contract only seven years later. He began his career, as a child, in Brazil. His pro career took off in Italy where he played for Milan. Then, in June of 2009, Kaka left Milan to take up his current task, playing a great midfield, for Real Madrid.Read more..

Do you know that why Brazil holds the first place in the FIFA rankings 2010? They have been retaining their position in the top ten since they have been playing. It is their persistent performance which has enabled them to retain their position so comprehensively. Brazil is a team which holds the most records in the FIFA history. Here is a quick look into their most prominent records in FIFA till now:Read more..

When we talk of soccer, the apparent thought that comes to mind is based on the popular one-liner, “The English invented it, the Brazilians perfected it.” And this is as true, as Brazil being the five time winner of the world Cup and currently the defending champion of the 2009 FIFA Confederation Cup is yet again in the limelight. This time the reason is that the Brazilian maestros Ronaldinho and Ronaldo are not in the Brazilian squad, which has subdued the Brazil fans spirit. Ronaldinho has not measure up as a standard player for Brazil and even his club during 2008-2009. However, whenever he played, he showed just the ‘thing’ which he possesses. Ronaldo and Ronaldinho are expected to join the Brazil team in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.Read more..

There are thousands of famous football players all around the world, coming from various inter-continental football teams and national teams; some of which are universally recognized and cherished by millions of fans. Among others, the most famous three football players this time round would include;

• Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid,

• Ronaldinho from AC Milan, and

• Kaka from Real Madrid

The first two need no mentioning as their names go along with fame in any part of the world. Kaka on the other hand is highly reputable in the football world, yet very much understated in many peoples’ eyes. Cristiano Ronaldo came under the limelight at a young age and has thus far redefined wingers and their ‘real’ position in the game by his quick pace and trickery. Ronaldinho, a Brazilian footballer is known not only for his ‘grinning’ at all times, but also for his position in being the best player in the pitch who could scare the life out of any defender.

Kaka on the other hand is simply the best player in town who combines Brazilian flair with European directness in his playing. Kaka is also known for his conservative religious views on personal life through representation via t-shirts and his wedding style.